The Philosophy and Religious Studies Program hosts regular roundtable discussions led by faculty members. These events are open to all students, faculty, staff, and the public: all are welcome and encouraged to participate in the discussion!
Details about specific events—both roundtables and other program events—are advertised through flyers around campus, on EKU Today and EKU Students today, and through social media:
X: @ekuHPRS
Instagram: eku.hprs
Facebook: EKU Department of History Philosophy & Religious Studies
For more information about the Roundtable Series, contact Matthew Pianalto.
Fall 2024 Roundtable Schedule
The Fall 2024 Roundtable Series will begin September 4th.
EKU PHILOSOPHY & RELIGIOUS STUDIES ROUNDTABLE ARCHIVES
Spring 2024
- 30: Dr. Todd Gooch, “Greek Philosophy and the Monotheistic Traditions”
- 28: Dr. David Blaylock, ‘Merchant Princes churn the cosmic bond of order’: Businessmen, Business, and Maybe Some Ethics
- March 26: Dr. Abraham Velez, Understanding Buddhist “Inspired” Violence
- April 24: Dr. Todd Hartch, Popular, Influential, and Ambiguous: How Richard McBrien Stayed Out of Trouble
Fall 2023
- 27: Dr. Matthew Pianalto, “Livin’ on the Edge: The Philosophy of Time and Meaning”
- 25: Dr. Jackie Jay, “The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead”
Spring 2023
- 25: Faculty Panel (Pianalto, Newhart, Kleppinger), “Is the College Essay Dead? Teaching, Writing, and Thinking in the Age of ChatGPT”
- 22: Dr. Steve Parchment, “Salvation Through Philosophy?”
- 29: Dr. Abraham Velez, “The (in)compatibility between Buddhism and Science”
- 26: Dr. Mike Austin, “Values and Virtues: Responding to Christian Nationalism”
Fall 2022
- 31: Dr. Todd Gooch, “What is ‘religious experience'”?
- 28: Dr. Laura Newhart and Dr. Gene Kleppinger, “Sentient Artificial Intelligence and Personhood”
- 26: Dr. Joshua Lynn, “Philosophy, Monstrosity, and Horror”
Spring 2022
- March 9: Matthew Pianalto, “Recent Debates about the Meaning of Life”
- April 27: Mina Yazdani, “The Crucifixion of Jesus and the Unity of Religions”
Fall 2021
- 8: Mike Austin, “Humility and Civil Discourse”
- 13: Tom Butler, “Finding God in a Poem: Gerard Manley Hopkins”
- 10: Todd Gooch, “The Influence of Greek Philosophy on the Early Development of Christian Theology”
Spring 2021
- 17: What is Socialism? led by Dr. Jennifer Spock
- 10: The Journey to Philosophy: Laura Newhart, Mike Austin, Todd Gooch, Gene Kleppinger, and Matthew Pianalto
- 14: Fake News and Metaphysics led by Dr. Ron Messerich, retired EKU professor of philosophy
Fall 2020
- 9: Stoic Philosophy and the Covid-19 Pandemic: Thriving in Times of Uncertainty (Drs. Mike Austin and Matt Pianalto)
- 14: Lust and Sin in Abelard’s Ethics (Dr. Steve Parchment)
- 11: The Politics of Race and Beauty in Charleston, South Carolina (Dr. Todd Hartch)
Spring 2020
- 29: Eating Meat and Eating People (Dr. Matthew Pianalto)
- 26: Living a Right Life: Hermits, Monks, and Laypeople (Dr. Jennifer Spock)
Fall 2019
- 28: The Myth of Sisyphus Revisited (Dr. Matthew Pianalto)
- 25: What’s Wrong with Moral Relativism? (Dr. Mike Austin)
- 30: Is Trump Conservative? (And what, by the way, is conservatism?) (Dr. Joshua Lynn)
- 20: Leviathan and the Air-Pump (Dr. Tim Smit)
Fall 2018-Spring 2019
- September: The Paradox of Socrates (Dr. Matt Pianalto)
- October: The Critique of Religion in 19th-Century German Philosophy (Dr. Todd Gooch)
- November: Ancient Skeptics (Dr. Ron Messerich)
- February 6: Is There a Moral Right to Own a Gun? (Dr. Mike Austin)
- February 27: The Ethics of Ticket Scalping (Dr. Laura Newhart)
- March 27: Cosmopolitanism, Pluralism, and Human Dignity (Dr. Ron Messerich)
- April 24: Why Did Buddha and Jesus Die? (Dr. Abraham Velez)